Mary Beth Vitale
NACD-Colorado Chapter President

Co-Founder, Pellera, LLC

Boards of Directors of CoBiz Financial Corporation (Nasdaq:COBZ), Zynex, Inc. (OTCBB:ZYXI), Intrado (Nasdaq:TRDO) 1999-2004, RMI (Nasdaq:RMII) 1997-2000, On-line Systems 2000-2001, Westwind Media 2000 and Eye-Ris

Mary Beth is a general management executive with 25 years experience in the telecommunications and consumer products industries.  Mary Beth was Chairman of the Board for Westwind Media, spent 5 years on the Board of Intrado, sitting on the Audit, Compensation and Corporate Governance Committees, and spent 3 years with RMI, sitting on the Audit Committee. Mary Beth is Chair of the Audit Committee for CoBiz Financial and serves on the Audit Committee of Zynex, Inc. She also is the Lead Director for Eye-ris. She is a founding member of former Governor Owens Commission on Science and Technology and has been instrumental in forming its strategic direction over the past eight years.  She was awarded her NACD Director Certificate in 2006, and has been a frequent speaker and presenter at many technology functions and seminars across the United States. Mary Beth speaks on Board Governance at national conferences. Mary Beth received a B.A. from Hillsdale College, a M.S. from the University of Colorado and an Advanced Management Degree from Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania.

Taylor Simonton
NACD-Colorado Chapter Chairman

Retired National Office SEC Partner, PricewaterhouseCoopers, LLP

Boards of Directors of Red Robin Gourmet Burgers, Inc. (Nasdaq:RRGB), Keating Capital, Inc. (to be Nasdaq listed), Zynex, Inc.(OTCBB:ZYXI), Quality Rail Services, LLC 2008 and Fischer Imaging Corporation (Nasdaq:FIMG) 2003-2007

While serving in the PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) National office from 1998 - 2001, Taylor was a member of the Risk & Quality Group that handles all auditing and accounting standards, SEC, corporate governance, risk management and quality matters for the firm. He was a partner in a specialized SEC consulting group overseeing the quality of financial statements and SEC reporting for all PwC foreign clients that publicly report in the U.S. Prior to that, Taylor participated in the firm's Partner International Program for three years, during which time he assisted Colombian companies in-country with capital-raising activities in the United States, consulted to major companies and coordinated IPO assistance, advised on due diligence and SEC regulatory matters and traveled extensively internationally assisting companies with SEC registration statements and other capital-raising activities. Since retiring, Taylor has served or is serving on a number of corporate boards of directors, including as Audit Committee Chair of most. He holds an active CPA license and a Certificate of Director Education from NACD’s Corporate Directors Institute. He received his B.S. in Accounting from the University of Tennessee.

Bill Heck
NACD-Colorado Chapter Vice President-Programs

Managing Principal of Harlon Group and the Board of Directors Development Group

Boards of Directors of Akro Fireguard, Inc. and Capital Investment Management Company, Inc. (Lead Director)

Bill specializes in developing and designing performance and compensation plans for sales teams, board of directors and executive leadership teams. Bill has served as Chief People Officer of two practices major national health care systems. He has developed and supported compensation consulting with BKD, LLP, Arthur Andersen, LLP and the Hay Group, LLP in support of clients including Hallmark, Holland & Hart, LLP, Yellow Roadway Transportation, Paul Mueller Company, Dynamic Materials Corporation, Lockton Companies, HCA Health Midwest, Johnson Outdoors Inc., H&R Block Financial Advisory Services and Colliers International. Bill's undergraduate and graduate degrees from the University of Colorado are in urban sociology, business and human resource administration. He has served on the board of the Association for Corporate Growth/Denver and is the founding board member of the Rocky Mountain Human Resource Planning Society and is the founding board member of the Rocky Mountain Chapter of the Forum for Expatriate Management.

Richard Swanson

Richard Swanson
NACD-Colorado Treasurer

Boards of Directors of ADA-ES (Nasdaq:ADES), Ascent Solar Technologies (Nasdaq:ASTI) and American Health Products (Nasdaq:AHPC) 1998-2007

Dick was a senior manager with Andersen Consulting (Accenture), and then became the first CFO of the Regional Transportation District in Denver, where he was responsible for initiating its financial and administrative operations. He later founded Real Estate Associates, Inc., a commercial real estate and development company which served as the general partner for a number of syndications. From 1991 through 2007 he was a group chair and executive coach for Vistage International (formerly TEC), where he worked with more than 80 CEOs of Colorado private and public companies. He has accomplished the turnaround and recapitalization of several small companies, and has been a director of several private companies and two banks. He currently serves as a director and Audit Committee Chair of two public companies. He has conducted workshops on corporate governance for companies and industry groups. Dick is a History graduate of the University of Colorado and holds an M.B.A from the Harvard Business School.

Francis Wheeler
NACD-Colorado Chapter Secretary

Partner, Cooley LLP

Fran’s practice includes corporate, securities and transactional matters, including public and private financings, mergers and acquisitions, international transactions, corporate governance and securities law disclosure and compliance. He has represented publicly and privately held companies in a broad range of industries, including biotechnology, engineering, manufacturing, multichannel television, retail, software and telecommunications, in securities and transactional matters. Prior to joining Cooley in 2001, he was a partner with Holme Roberts & Owen LLP, where he chaired that firm’s Commercial Law and Securities Practice Group. Fran also practiced with Milbank, Tweed, Hadley & McCloy in New York City. He is currently named in The Best Lawyers in America in Corporate Law and Mergers & Acquisitions Law, in Chambers USA: America's Leading Lawyers in Corporate/M&A, in Who's Who Legal USA in Corporate Governance and as a Colorado Super Lawyer 2008 in Securities and Corporate Finance. Fran received an M.B.A. from Harvard Business School, a J.D., cum laude, from Harvard Law School and a B.S., magna cum laude, from Weber State University in Chemistry. He is admitted to practice in the States of Colorado and New York.

Tom Briggs
NACD-Colorado Chapter Sponsor Committee Chair

Board of Directors of Whiting Petroleum Corporation (NYSE:WLL)and Corrpro (AMEX:CRRP) 2004-2009

Tom is an experienced CFO with ten years of public accounting experience in two of the current four worldwide firms, and 25 years as a CFO in public and private companies primarily in the food and oil and gas industries. He was most recently CFO of Healthy Food Holdings, Inc., a Boulder-based holding and management company for branded food companies, and before that the CFO of Horizon Organic, the largest organic foods company in the US, which was acquired in 2004. From 1990 to 2000 he was Vice President-Finance at Leprino Foods, a privately-held cheese and dairy ingredients manufacturer. During the 1970's and 1980's he was a tax and M&A consultant to oil and gas exploration companies, and CFO and senior officer in two Denver-based public independent oil and gas companies. He is past Director of the Independent Petroleum Association of the Mountain States (IPAMS). ). Since retiring, Tom has served on several public and private boards and their Audit and Compensation Committees. Tom holds a B.A. in Accounting from Duke University and a J.D. from the Georgetown University Law Center.

Ronald Brown
NACD-Colorado Chapter Nominating Committee Chair

Managing Partner, Heidrick & Struggles

Boards of Directors of CU-Denver College of Business, PositiveWare Software 2006-2007 and Bard Center for Entrepreneurship (past Chairman) 2000-2008

Ron is a partner with Heidrick & Struggles, and founder of the firm's Colorado office. His national search practice focuses on senior executive-level assignments for CEOs and COOs, Board Members and functional specialists - for private equity-backed and growth stage companies. Ron's clients range from start-up and growth-stage companies such as Econergy International, eBags and Exclusive Resorts, to more established companies such as Ball Corp., Newmont Mining and Samsung. He also works extensively with venture capital and private equity investors. Ron has held various leadership positions with Heidrick & Struggles, including Associate Director of the International Technology Practice and Managing Partner of Principal Development, and he has received the company's most prestigious honor, the Partnership Spirit Award. Prior to joining Heidrick & Struggles, Ron served in several appointed government positions, including Deputy Associate Director of Presidential Personnel in the White House. He is a Colorado native and a B.A. graduate of Washington & Lee University.

Kathleen Cunningham
NACD-Colorado Chapter Past President

Retired Chief Financial Officer and Chief Operating Officer in technology companies

Board of Directors of The Assist Group and Q Advisers, LLC - Advisory Board, Quality Rail Services (2008), Raindance Communications, Inc. (Nasdaq:RNDC) 2004-2006, Activant Solutions Inc. (Nasdaq:ACTV) 2005-2006 and JD Edwards & Company (Nasdaq:JDEC) 2002-2003

Kathy has served as a Chief Financial Officer and Chief Operating Officer in technology, banking and the telecommunications industries for over 25 years. Since retiring early, Kathy has served or is serving on Audit, Nominating, Compensation and Finance Committees on a number of Boards - both public and private. Kathy also served as Chairman of the Board of Raindance Communications until it was acquired by West Corporation and is currently Lead Director at The Assist Group. She continues to consult with domestic and international technology companies and in real estate development. Kathy is a member of and Past President of Financial Executives Institute (FEI) and is a Founder and Past Chairman of the Colorado Technology & Internet Association (CSIA). Kathy received a B.A. from the University of Wisconsin - Madison in Economics & Political Science and an M.B.A. in Finance from the University of Denver. She completed the Harvard Business School Audit Committee Governance Program and the Directorship Corporate Governance & Leadership Forum. She also holds a Certificate of Director Education from attending NACD's Director Professionalism Course. 

Jim Dixon
NACD-Colorado Chapter Chair of Membership

President, CEO and Director, Applied Intelligence Solutions

Board of Directors of Charter Data Systems, a leading provider of software for the retail industry

Jim brings more than 25 years of technology management experience to his role as president and chief executive officer of Applied Intelligence Solutions (AIS), a developer of advanced pattern-recognition software, which is headquartered in Westminster, CO and has development offices in Moscow. He was recruited to found AIS from Forseon Corporation, where he served in a variety of roles in his eighteen years with the company, culminating with his role as senior vice president of product management and information technology. Forseon was acquired by Towne Services where Jim led the integration of the two firms and also subsequently served on Towne’s leadership team. He is an active conference speaker and panel participant on the subject of technology and its impact on the retail industry. In addition to serving on corporate boards, he has also served as a director for the Association of Retail MIS Executives, a non-profit retail industry information technology association.

Mark Soane
NACD-Colorado Chapter Director at Large

Managing Director, Appian Venture Partners, an early-stage technology fund

Boards of Directors include Carefx, OpenLogic, AdPay, OneRiot, Vessels Coal Gas, Colorado Venture Capital Authority (Vice-Chairman) and Colorado Fourteeners Initiative (former Chairman). Former director roles at Voyant Technologies 1999-2004, Active Education 1999-2005, Datria Systems 1998-2009, Ischemia Technologies 1999-2005, Cadre Technologies 2004-2009, Controlled Products Systems Group (Executive Chairman)1999-2007, Pixxures Corp. 2000-2007 and Colorado Venture Capital Association (Chairman) 2000-2007

As an experienced venture capital investor, Mark works closely with management and co-investors in strategy and corporate development, management recruitment and oversight, and equity and debt financing. He has sat on multiple Audit, Compensation and Nominating Committees. He has been a frequent lecturer on Venture Capital at UC Denver and has served as an expert witness in venture capital related matters. Mark holds a B.A. in History, with highest distinction, from Dartmouth College and a M.B.A. from Stanford Business School.

David Van Valkenburg
NACD-Colorado Chapter Director at Large

Retired – Executive Vice-President, MediaOne, Inc.

Boards of Directors of Harmonic Inc. (Nasdaq:HLIT), ZAO Star Networks (Moscow), Network Creative Group, Ziff Davis Media Corporation, Melaleuca Inc., Zero Point Corporation, Malone University, The Cable Center, Moscow Cablecom Corporation (Nasdaq:MOCC) 2005-2007, Mobile Data Systems Inc. (Nasdaq:MDSI) 2001-2005, TeleWest PLC (now Virgin Media) (Nasdaq:VMED) 1997-1999), TVN Entertainment Corporation 2004-2009), 360 Networks Inc. 2002-2008, Looking Glass Networks, Inc. 2004-2006, Syndeo Corporation 2003-2004), Contec Corporation 2004-2006, Gans Communications, LLP 2003-2004 and AdCom Information Systems, Inc. 2001-2005

Previously, David was Chief Executive Officer and Chief Operating Officer for Telewest Communications, PLC (UK), Executive Vice President of MediaOne Group, Inc., President of Multivision Cable TV Corp. and President of Cox Cable Communications, Inc. He has over 15 years experience serving on both public and private corporate Boards of Directors in USA, Canada, Russia, United Kingdom, The Netherlands, Belgium, Spain and Czech Republic. David has experience as Chairman of Audit, Compensation and Special Committees and as a member of Governance and Nominating Committees. He has earned an NACD Certificate of Director Education and is recognized as an “Audit Committee Financial Expert” as that term is defined by the SEC. He holds a B.A. degree from Malone University, a M.S. degree from the University of Kansas and a M.B.A. from Harvard University.

Barbara Mowry
NACD-Colorado Chapter Director at Large

CEO and Founder of GoreCreek Advisors

Board of Directors of Gaiam (Nasdaq: GAIA), Real Goods Solar (Nasdaq: RSOL), Denver Branch of the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City (Chairman), Carlson School at the University of Minnesota (Executive Committee) and Leeds School at the University of Colorado.

Barbara currently serves as CEO and founder of GoreCreek Advisors, a management consulting firm focused on working with CEOs and boards on business strategy and innovation. Her prior experience includes Senior Vice President of the Data Integration Division of Oracle Corporation, which she joined as a result of the successful acquisition by Oracle of Silver Creek Systems where she served as President and CEO. Her extensive executive experience also includes Chairman and CEO at Requisite Technology and as a senior officer for both Comcast (TCI) and United Airlines. Barbara is a member of the Committee of 200, an invitation-only organization comprised of the world’s most successful women entrepreneurs and corporate leaders, and has served as a judge at the Ernst and Young World Entrepreneur of the Year Awards. She holds a bachelor's degree from Miami University, Oxford Ohio, and an M.B.A. from the University of Minnesota.